The last month, I have been on a hiatus from my 205 Live duties, but I am now back to give you my thoughts on WWE’s most underrated show. I must say, it was quite an episode to come back to. Our main event was a Fatal Four-Way match with Oney Lorcan, Humberto Carrillo, Akira Tozawa, and Drew Gulak to determine a new number one contender, and also, we welcomed a new (exciting) addition to the 205 roster.

The reason this episode excelled in my eyes is primarily because of the surprise in the opening match, and also due to the fact both the opening and main event bouts delivered in a big way. They left you wanting more. Also, they both entertained you in different ways.

Chad Gable vs. Jack Gallagher

For whatever reason, adding Chad Gable to 205 never crossed my mind. So when his music hit and he made his way out (with short hair!), it was a genuine surprise, and an exciting one no less. Gable is a perfect fit for 205, he’s incredibly athletic, he puts more emphasis on wrestling than the character element, and Gable is also a smaller superstar when compared to a lot of main roster talent.

Due to Gable’s lack of main roster TV time, the live crowd was not as excited when the former NXT star made his entrance, but that quickly changed when he and Gallagher locked horns. They started grappling, amateur wrestling style, exchanging and countering one another holds. It felt like a friendly competition, and each exchange seemed to impress the live crowd more and more, as the cheers got a little louder as the match wore on.

The change in tone was effective. Gallagher switched from his fancy offence to a much a more aggressive approach. He slammed Gable into the steel steps, and from then on, began working on his opponent’s midsection. Each move had an element of force and venom that was lacking early on, as Gallagher looked desperate to spoil his new foes debut.

Gable then matched his opponent’s aggression with an impressive attempt at landing three consecutive belly to belly’s, and also a powerbomb for good measure. The match ended when Gable German suplexed Gallagher on the outside after catching him as the Brit attempted to dive out onto him. Gallagher was unable to make the count of ten but still looked great in defeat.

The match felt like a nineties cruiserweight bout that had a great mixture of flair and aggression, and it worked like a treat. Here’s to a rematch!

Drake Maverick then had a backstage segment with Mike and Maria Kanellis, where Mike was furious due to being left out of the number one contender’s match. As Drake tried to stand his ground, Maria sent a somewhat ominous message that Drake should be concerned about his position in 205 Live.

The Singh Brothers vs. Local Competitors

Next week, The Singh Brothers will rematch The Lucha House Party, but on this week’s episode, the brothers went toe to toe with local Luchadores. The match was a squash match designed to get The Singh Brothers some heat, which it did, as they are so easy to dislike. Nigel McGuinness was also entertaining in hyping up The Singh Brothers victory against their “credible” opponents.

Prior to the fatal four-way main event, Tony Nese had a backstage promo where he expressed his desire to face Akira Tozawa because he wants to be pushed by the Japanese cardio machine. He then listed off the attributes of the other competitors and stated that he’s ready for any challenge and no longer wants to sit on the sidelines waiting for a match. It was a simple and effective promo.

Oney Lorcan vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Humberto Carrillo vs. Drew Gulak

All four superstars got this bout off to a fast start, a pace they kept for almost the entire duration of this match. Humberto Carrillo took charge early on with his high flying moves, and then the other three men also had their own period of dominance as well.

Drew Gulak’s change of character deserves a special mention, as his bigger beard and physique combined with his no-nonsense approach is very effective and believable. He felt like the number one threat out of the four superstars.

There was also some nice team manoeuvres, as Carrillo and Tozawa worked together for a period of time, and Oney Lorcan delivered a great half and half suplex on Carrillo who landed on top of Drew Gulak. However, the highlight of the match came when all four men stood trading blows on the ring apron, and before we knew it, it led to a series of high spots and superkicks that sent the live crowd into a frenzy.  You can tell when a “This is awesome” chant is genuine; this match earned a genuine one.

Drew Gulak and Akira Tozawa brought this Fatal Four-Way to a close when Drew hit a top rope superplex. But when they landed on the mat, both men hooked the other’s legs for a cover. Meaning both their shoulders were on the mat when the ref counted to three.

205 Live ended with both men claiming the victory, and Drake Maverick trying to talk to both men amidst the uncertainty.

It looks like we are going down the path of a triple threat between Tony Nese, Tozawa, and Drew Gulak, which would be a welcome addition to WWE’s next pay-per-view. Also, Chad Gable’s arrival has certainly spiced up this division, and the thought of Gable vs. Nese will leave diehard fans drawling at the prospect of these two tearing the house down.

All images are courtesy of wwe.com